


Can't touch this

by 8fred9



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 5 of 6, Bucky being a good boyfriend, Cute, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Winteriron Holiday Exchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-23
Updated: 2015-12-23
Packaged: 2018-05-08 14:34:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5501006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/8fred9/pseuds/8fred9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It takes a while before Steve notice anything but once he does, the whole thing makes no sense. On certain days, never the same and never with any warnings, Bucky won’t allow anyone to touch Tony.  It makes no sense to him as the two don’t seem that close, but it is a phenomenon that he started to pay attention to days ago and was now obsessed with.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Can't touch this

**Author's Note:**

  * For [singingwithoutwords](https://archiveofourown.org/users/singingwithoutwords/gifts).



> Winteriron Holiday EXCHANGE for singingwithoutwords

** Can’t touch this **

** By 8fred9  **

** Beta by Sockera **

_ (5 of 6) _

 

It takes a while before Steve notice anything but once he does, the whole thing makes no sense. On certain days, never the same and never with any warnings, Bucky won’t allow anyone to touch Tony.  It makes no sense to him as the two don’t seem that close, but it is a phenomenon that he started to pay attention to days ago and was now obsessed him.

 

=THOR=

The first time he noticed, it was on an early morning. Steve was eating his oatmeal in the kitchen smiling as Bucky is groaning, complaining about a hangover.  The one armed soldier’s head was on the cool surface of the marble counter, saying he would never move away from this sweet cold marble, when he heard a thundering noise coming from the balcony.  

The loud banging was announcing the return of the Asgardian God and was soon followed by the even louder greeting of a very jovial thunderer. Just as the big blond was walking towards the captain, arms opened and clearly aiming for one of his signature bone crushing hugs, Tony walked in.

The small genius was focused on his tablette frowning at something on his screen and only looked up when he heard the loud greeting directed at him that had Thor changing his war path to focus entirely on the smaller man.

“MAN OF IRON! GREETINGS MY FRIEND! I HAVE MISSED YOUR COMPANY GREATLY AND-“ That was as far as Thor went in his greeting before his arms were filled with a one armed soldier.

Bucky had moved so fast, Steve had barely enough time to blink, that his friend was hugging the thunder god. The large blond was frozen looking a little unsure, his arms still spread wide and unmoving as the metal armed man tapped his back twice.

“Good to see you too big guy, welcome back.” Thor unfroze and crushed Bucky in a hug laughing loudly as Steve notice the grimace on his partner, who was clearly regretting his decision to move from his sweet marble counter.

In the confusion of Thor never releasing Bucky and telling all about his adventures in Asgard, Steve noticed that Tony had walked away.

 

=CLINT=

The second time was much more obvious and had Steve starting to question the whole thing.

Because Tony never avoided any contact from the archer. The both of them were like long lost brother that had to create as much mischief as they could for all the lost years they had been separated from each other. So it was usual for the captain to find the both of them acting like children and fighting each other over a video game in the living room.

This time however, when Clint walked in Tony was reading being quiet for once and barely looked up when the archer threw him a remote control asking for a rematch.

“You, _me, Mario Cart_ now!” Steve who had been sketching the city sitting in his favorite chair saw Bucky, coming out of nowhere catch the remote control before it could reach the genius and dropped his body next to the smaller man, but not touching him in anyway.

“Forget that Barton you need a real challenge here, not an old man.” Tony snorted but didn’t protest turning his attention back to his book.

“But I wanted…” The archer started pouting, but Bucky gave their team mate a challenging smile.

“What afraid I’ll beat you so bad, you’ll never recover?” The challenge was issued and Barton jumped on the sofa next to the soldier… leaving Tony alone to his book with no one touching him.

“Oh! IT’S SO ON ROBOCOP!” The genius gave the brunette man a soft smile, as Clint moved around trying to move his virtual cart with his body instead of the remote. “Eat my green dinosaur dirt!”

When Tony left the room, Bucky played one more round and follow into the genius’ footsteps, leaving behind an astonished completely defeated, pouting archer.

“Well that was devastating… wanna play Cap?” Feeling bad for his teammate, Steve nodded and taken the remote knowing he would easily be beaten, but his mind stayed on the odd pair, realizing once again that no one had touched Tony and that it was all Bucky’s doing.

 

=NATASHA=

Aside from all his talk about bringing birds dancing when they were younger, Steve had never, if rarely, seen Bucky dance. The man was just suave and persuasive enough that he and his dates rarely made it all the way to the dance hall, more often than not going straight to finding a quiet spot for more intimate activities.

So as Steve was trying very hard **not** to punch the punching bag so hard it would explode, he was surprise to see Natasha, the deadliest woman he had ever meet, dancing gracefully next to the mirror and frowning unhappily at her every move.

Bucky was sparing with Clint in the ring and Tony was working out in a machine at the other side of the gym, completely engulfed in the music certainly pounding in his ears from his stark headphones.  Once he was done the smaller man started walking towards the showers.

“STARK!” Steve saw the smaller man flinch and Tony pulled his headphone away looking at the Russian waiting for her to say what she wanted. By this time Steve knew to look towards Bucky just in case and surely enough the soldier had stopped sparing and was keeping a close eye on his two teammates. “What dancing styles do you know?”

“Waltz, foxtrot, tap, ballet, swing, flamenco and modern.” Natasha nodded and held out her hand. The genius looked at it looking unsure, which knowing those two history wasn’t completely unusual (needle and trust issue and the whole shebang), but still it was rare to see uncertainty on Tony’s face.

“I need a partner to practice my waltz for a mission, so if you could…” Bucky was there in four steps, taking the Russian’s hand and spinning her around with a charming smile firmly in place.

“Forget him, what about me darling?” The red haired woman huffed in annoyance, but as soon as they started moving they fell in perfect sync and Steve could have sworn they were gliding above the floor as their movement seemed so effortless.

Steve attention snapped back to Tony as he caught a glimpse of the smaller man making his quiet escape.

 

=BRUCE=

The one time Bucky was able to direct Bruce’s attention away from Tony so that the doctor couldn’t touch the genius was the most extreme and the one that made him start to worry.

As the doctor wasn’t a big fan of, well anyone really except for Tony, it was rare to see Bruce on the main floor. Doctor Banner usually spent his time in his laboratory, given to him by Stark, or with the genius himself in his own workshop.

At the moment of the fourth no-touching interruption, as Steve was now calling them, all of the Avengers were in medical after a particularly violent battle with Amora and Bruce was stitching everyone up as Hulk had not been allowed in the small building where most of the action had taken place. The doctor was moving around, having already taken care of the two spies and Steve, and was making his way toward a tired, but uninjured looking Tony.

Seeing that, but not believing Bucky would do anything about it, Steve was proven wrong when his friend violently and rapidly squeezed his injured leg forcing some blood out and grunting quite loudly in pain. Bruce automatically turned to the soldier, having first deemed the injury superficial, but now looking slightly concern.

Steve caught the long glance Bucky gave to Tony and saw the genius nod in gratitude before he was once again moving to make his silent exit. This time however Steve was on his feet and followed him. The captain saw Bucky’s eyes bulge out in surprise, but he was pinned down by the doctor and wouldn’t be able to follow them.

“Tony!” The genius turned towards him and for the first time Steve saw the dark circles under the older man’s eyes, worrying him until he remember he was mad.

“What’s up Cap?” For some reason, probably because he still didn’t know why Bucky wasn’t allowing the others to touch Tony on certain days, this day being one of them apparently, Steve kept his distance.

“What’s going on between you and Bucky?”

“Well… I’m not sure what-“Tony was interrupted by Bruce voice calling Steve back inside the medical room.

“Steve could you come back here! Bucky is asking for you!” Knowing full well that there was no reason for it, but not wanting to ignore his best friend when he was asking for him, Steve turned back but looked over his shoulder pointing towards Tony in warning.

“We’re not done with this.” Tony shrugged and walked away.

 

=STEVE=

“Okay what’s going on here?”

Whiskey brown eyes and dark blue eyes looked up at him from their spot on the sofa, both pair of eyes coming with surprise raised eyebrows. Tony was snuggled between the metal arm man legs, his smaller frame fitting perfectly against the soldier’s larger frame. Bucky for his part was massaging the genius’ neck with his flesh hand and the other was wrapped around the older man’s waist.

“How blond is he exactly? Because I thought we were pretty obvious here.” Tony mumbled softly his voice heavy with sleep.

“I thought so too babe, but the punk has those beautiful moments where his brains just skipped the obvious… I used to think it was cute.” Bucky said never stopping his massage and looking at Steve like he was indeed quite dumb.

“Are you together?” He heard the smaller giggle and Bucky rolled his eyes.

“Yes Steven we are together. We’ve been together for weeks now.” The soldier said slowly like he wanted to make sure the blond would understand.

“But… you didn’t… it wasn’t… you didn’t say anything.” He knew he was sounding accusing, but well Bucky was his best friend and he thought he would be the first to know.

“Didn’t feel the need too, thought we were obvious. Natasha and Clint gave us congratulation flowers,” Well… okay he was a little hurt that no one had told him now. But still it didn’t completely explain the no-touching moments.

“Okay… okay fine. Congratulation!” Steve took a deep breath not sure if he should address the whole possessive angle of their relationship, but he couldn’t just ignore it, it wasn’t healthy after all. “But really Buck, I’ve never known you to be this… possessive of any of your… dates.”

Before Bucky could answer Tony lifted his head and looking sheepish, looking anywhere but at Steve. “That’s on me actually.”

“Babe you don’t have to explain, it’s alright.” Bucky said in a comforting voice, Tony smiled at his lover and blush slightly as the soldier kissed his forehead.

“Nah, it’s alight. Plus after that stunt you pulled with Bruce it didn’t sit well with me either.” Bucky huffed annoyed and that was clearly a conversation they had had before, which did make Steve feel a little better. Tony took a deep breath and spoke softly. “I still have nightmares about… what happened out there. Not every night or too often, but when I do I stay… let’s say sensitive and I don’t appreciate my personal space being invade. It’s nothing too bad and usually I can manage but well… Bucky noticed and…”

“And I made sure Tony had his space when he needed it.” Bucky finished daring Steve to say anything.

“Oh… that’s actually quite… well sweet.” Steve blinked a couple of times and smiled. His best friend had always been protective of him when they had grown up together so it wasn’t such a surprise to find out that the one armed man was even more protective of his lover.

And there was no question here that Tony was Bucky’s lover. The soldier had never been a very affectionate man; Bucky was very physical with Steve, but rarely with anyone else. But for Tony he had moved over his usual disdain and made sure to initiate physical contact with all the other Avengers so that Tony wouldn’t have to. The brunette looked completely comfortable and much more relaxed with Tony in his arms then he had since the captain had brought him back to the tower.

“Shut up you punk.” Bucky said, but there was no animosity behind his words and the soldier hid his blush in the genius’ hair. Tony smiled rubbing his cheek against the younger man torso and looked up at Steve going serious.

“Don’t worry that little stunt with Bruce the other day won’t happen again.” Pinching Bucky’s arm lightly Tony made his point quite clear. “Right darling?”

“Yeah, yeah I got it.” It calmed down to know Tony wouldn’t allow Bucky to hurt himself, even if it was to protect his lover and the blond nodded to the genius with a grateful smile.

This time it was Steve who made a quiet exit, as the two lovers got lost in each other.  

 

=TONY & BUCKY=

Tony awoke to see his lover on the other side of the bed looking down at him with a worried frown.

“How bad?”

“Not too much, you calmed down quick but I didn’t want to take any chances.” Bucky didn’t move, allowing Tony to fully awake and take stock of his current mental status. If he had had a nightmare, he didn’t feel any lingering feeling from it and reached forward making small grabbing gestures. “I’m good and you’re too far.”

A smile broke on the soldier’s face as he came closer and pulled the older man into his arms sighing happily and kissing his lover letting him feel all the love he had for the genius.

“Did you sleep at all?” Tony wasn’t stupid and knew that even though Bucky knew better then to touch him when he was having nightmare, the soldier would still stay awake all night looking over him just in case Tony would need him.

Bucky shrugged staying silent. “Darling? Seriously you could just go sleep in your room, when I’m having an… episode.”

The growl of frustration he received in answer, just like every time he brought this subject up had the smaller rolling his eyes. “Yeah so I can worry about you all night instead of having visual confirmation you’re alright. No thank you babe.”

“Fine then nap with me until I’m satisfied you won’t fall asleep on your feet.” In answer Bucky kiss him senseless and turned them around until Tony was trapped under the one armed man.

“How about a little exercise first babe?” Well a little exercise wouldn’t hurt and would make the nap so much sweeter.

Bucky agreed with his thought process and made sure they exercise quite thoughtfully and loudly. Later on, his younger lover was using him as a teddy bear and snoring lightly.

He wouldn’t have any more nightmare today.

 


End file.
